Quick Energy Fixes

The feeling of fatigue is so common for so many people that I think many people accept it as a normal state of being. However, we should pay attention to how we feel each day because fatigue is the first sign that something is out of balance with our health. Sleeping difficulties, depression, vitamin deficiency, hypothyroidism or viral infections can cause fatigue. It is a good idea to visit your doctor for further evaluation if you’ve been experiencing chronic fatigue.

Here are some tips to beat fatigue:

Sleep Better

|PIC2|You can implement simple sleep habits to bring an end to your sleep deprivation and start looking fabulous.

• Do not eat in the two hour period before bed. If this is unavoidable because you arrive home late, have vegetables and/or salad with a lean source of protein. Carbohydrates such as pasta, bread, rice or potatoes can cause you to wake up looking swollen or puffy around the eyes because they stimulate insulin secretion which then causes sodium retention.

• Sleep in pitch dark. It is not just your eyes that should be in the dark. No light should shine anywhere on your skin! If light hits your skin it will reduce the production of melatonin, a hormone necessary for deep sleep. Melatonin is also a potent antioxidant that can protect us from cancer and signs of aging.

|AD|• Go to bed by 11 PM. Your body recuperates from stress between 11 PM and 1 AM. By 2 AM, your body is already starting to prepare for the next day by stimulating the production of cortisol, a stress hormone that is naturally highest first thing in the morning. This hormone gives us that feeling of “get up and go” for the day, but also it can also keep us up at night if we have high levels of it.

Magnesium

Magnesium is a mineral involved in over three hundred enzymatic reactions in the body. When we are deficient in magnesium, the bodily functions on the cellular level that are dependant on magnesium slow down, causing everything to become sluggish physically and consequentially, fatigue follows. It has been suggested that chronic fatigue syndrome is related to persistent magnesium deficiency and may improve with magnesium supplements.

Tyrosine for Stress Support and Endurance

Tyrosine acts as an adaptogen, helping the body adapt to and cope with the effects of physical or psychological stress by minimizing the symptoms brought on by stress. This is primarily due to the fact that tyrosine is a building block for norepinephine and epinephrine, the body's two main stress-related hormones. . Tests have been completed to show its ability to increase endurance and to limit anxiety and fatigue in people under stress. Taken ahead of time, tyrosine reduces bodily reactions and feelings from stressful situations such as surgery, emotional upset and sleep deprivation.

Green Tea for Stress and Fat-Burning Support

|PIC1|Green tea contains theanine, a naturally calming compound for the brain and EGCg shown in studies to maintain levels of norepinephrine by inhibiting the enzymes that break it down. This allows the body to maintain levels of norepinephrine without the stimulatory effect of excessive release of more norepinephrine. Norepinephrine is an energy-boosting hormone naturally produced under stress that also encourages the breakdown of fat. EGCg therefore enables a prolonged stimulation of fat burning through its inhibition of the breakdown of norepinephrine.

Top Up Your Bs and Cs

If you crash in the afternoon, keep a bottle of B vitamins on hand and take one when you are feeling a bit sluggish. Within twenty minutes of being under stress, vitamin C is depleted so taking a dose of vitamin C midday is also helpful to improve energy and to ward off colds. Also, taking your vitamins to the office allows you to get them into your system at least five days per week.

Cuppa Java

|TOP|New research confirms that moderate coffee consumption
(one to two cups per day) has possible health benefits and does not cause us harm. These benefits include reduced risk for type 2 diabetes, gallstones, liver disease, colon cancer and Parkinson’s disease. Studies show that type 2 diabetes is lower among regular coffee drinkers (two or less cups per day). In addition to the long-term health benefits, the immediate effects of coffee consumption include improved endurance in long-duration physical activities and higher, fat-burning effects before a workout. Go organic, if you can. Coffee crops can be heavily sprayed with pesticides. Also, avoid caffeine after 3 PM to prevent sleep disruptions.

Maximize your Multivitamin

Most people report an increase in energy when they first start taking a multivitamin such as TrueBASICS. Consult The Comparative Guide to Nutritional Supplements to determine the best choices available in North America. We get what we pay for especially when it comes to vitamins, so avoid the cheaper options available at pharmacies or wholesale stores. Instead, choose one from your local health food store or natural pharmacy. Never take a multivitamin unless it contains all natural ingredients. Supplements with synthetic forms of nutrients will do more harm than good as they do not promote the same energy-boosting effects as an all natural, high potency multivitamin.




Dr. Natasha Turner
TrueStar Health